To acquire knowledge, one must study,
but to acquire wisdom , one must observe
- M Savant
(observe AND experience!)
Lately, I've become interested in the United Nation's participation in Kosovo and the treatment of Serbs in an Albanian-dominated Kosovo.
You might have heard about the Kosovo bombings by NATO in 1999, in which Serbs were deemed to be involved in ethnic cleansing of the Albanians. More than 800,000 Albanians fled Kosovo, thousands being killed, wounded, and raped.
Now 8 years later, it is the Serb-minority in Kosovo that is constantly being harassed by local Albanians, with an attempt of 'ethnic cleansing' of the Serbs as recent as 2004.
I've tried to chat about this in an Albanian Facebook group, "Appeal for an independent Kosovo".
And with the little wisdom I had, I tried to engage in a discussion about the Serbs, hoping to generate brainstorming of plans of which to deal with this problem.
What was I thinking?
Their minds were totally consumed by the enormity of pain and damages caused in 1999 and their 'eternal' hatred of Serbians.
I tried to state that they should look out for the Serbians because it would reduce political instability and get greater support from the EU, and thus attract more foreign investments (it was the poorest region in the former Yugoslavia).
I tried to use examples of the politicians that were putting their hatred aside and being hailed by the UN, trying to state that it can and should be done.
All my arguments were to no avail.
Since I'd brought up the Serbs, everything from my information, allegiance, intelligence, and ethnicity was questioned and immediately put down.
They told me that I didn't know anything (despite having read at least 15 different books and articles).
They relied steadfastly on information, of which the reports that I've read contradicted entirely (I attributed this misinformation to the Albanian's notoriously biased reporting).
Then they would make emotional appeals about what happened in 1999 oh the Tragedy!
And then they'd pat themselves on the back. 'Oh Meljos, good job! You put that beautifully.'
I couldn't believe it. I had done the research with an sympathetic eye towards the Albanians for what happened in 1999. But it was all overlooked. I'd been accused of being a Serbian supporter. Effectively, I became disliked by all the Albanian-nationalists, and in turn, my position against them hardened, my sympathies drying up. A rather unpleasant experience.
After complaining to Xiaodi about this rather frigid, actually downright rude reception, he told me that I can't approach emotional experiences like this from an academic perspective.
After looking at my experiences with people (I've offended more than one person with my views), I'd realized that I was coming at this from the wrong orientation.
I forget that political science is limited to a group that reads and critiques papers - many times far removed from the actual events.
Political science often favours the acquirement of power and stability above morality. It downplays the role of the individual, in favour of the entire system. It prides itself on being above emotional reactions - a rational study of humans - a science.
These biases within political science, I'd once critiqued... yet in my actual experience I carried them blindly. And to think, I'd actually prided myself for having a balanced view of means and ends. I'd always argued against the 'ends justify the means' response and yet... in wishing to satisfy an intellectual need for a plan, I'd ignored and objectified the people affected.
I now consider this experience a wisdom acquired.
Still, I don't know what to do with these people. I've learned what not to do, but hopefully observation and experience will lead me to be more human in my response.
From this - it seems that wisdom is knowledge placed effectively... yes, I'd like some more wisdom...
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